Atom bank study questions accuracy of EPC ratings
7 months ago | 7 comments
Call to impose EPC rules on landlords as tenants ration energy
10:00 AM, 16th September 2025, 7 months ago
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More than 4.5 million private renters in England and Wales, equivalent to 41% of the sector, had to limit their use of gas and electricity last winter to manage crippling energy costs, Citizens Advice reveals.
The charity says that 3.5 million renters, or one in three tenants in the PRS, found it challenging to maintain a warm home.
Many resorted to extreme measures such as missing hot meals, wearing gloves indoors or heating only a single room.
The organisation says the government must ‘urgently deliver promised new rules’ for landlords to upgrade properties to a minimum of EPC C by 2030.
Choose between heating and eating
Emily Wise, an energy adviser at Citizens Advice North Lancashire, said: “Sadly, this is an all too familiar story.
“Many of the renters we help day-to-day say their landlords are hesitant to fix the substandard conditions they live in.
“Leaky, cold and damp housing is a huge problem in our local area, as many homes are particularly deteriorated due to salty sea air and high winds.”
She added: “Too often, this is forcing renters to spend disproportionately on gas and electricity in an attempt to achieve basic levels of comfort, as well as having to regularly choose between eating and heating their homes.
“Despite this, many of those we help are reluctant to raise these issues with their landlords because they fear putting their tenancy at risk.”
Energy bills are higher
Citizens Advice says that with winter looming and energy prices remaining 50% higher than pre-2021 levels, tenants are struggling with poorly insulated homes.
It adds that more than half of renters (57%) occupy homes with an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating below C, making them costly and difficult to heat.
Its research shows that tenants in homes with the minimum E rating faced an extra £317 on energy bills last winter, a cost that could have been avoided with an upgrade to a C rating.
The charity warns that delays to imposing tighter EPC rules will leave tenants stuck in uncomfortable and costly homes for years to come.
Tenants won’t ask landlords
The organisation also claims that many renters are hesitant to request essential repairs, such as better insulation or fixing draughty windows, because they fear rent rises or a strained relationship with their landlords.
Nearly a third (29%) avoid raising such concerns, while 13% of those who did request upgrades faced conditions like higher rent, and 7% were outright refused.
The charity is also calling for robust enforcement of the Renters’ Rights Bill to empower tenants to demand improvements without fear of repercussions.
It is also calling for financial support for landlords to ensure these upgrades are feasible.
Government must act on EPCs
The chief executive of Citizens Advice, Dame Clare Moriarty, said: “Our advisers are bracing for more calls this winter from renters trapped in cold, leaky homes.
“It’s unacceptable that so many tenants are afraid to ask for the very basics – like fixing draughty doors or replacing poor quality single-glazed windows.”
She adds: “By 2030, the government must ensure no renter lives in a home that is excessively difficult and expensive to heat.
“And renters must urgently be given the security they deserve so they can ask landlords to fix substandard housing without fear of retaliation.”
Tags:
citizens advice, cold homes, Energy Bills, energy efficiency, EPC C rating, heating costs, landlord epc 2030, Landlord regulations, poor insulation, renters, renters rights bill
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Member Since May 2025 - Comments: 74
11:29 AM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
The whole EPC thing is a joke. It doesnt reflect reality anyway.
The real problem is Red Miliband has increased the price cap by £280 since Labour came to power. Far in excess of any savings investment in energy improvements would yield for my tenants.
Our energy is the most expensive in the developed world. There’s a hidden 16% tax in all our electric bills and hidden 6% tax in gas bills. You pay VAT on that hidden green levy by the way. That hidden tax money gets given to companies that build wind turbines as a subsidy. I think they should give it to landlords to meet EPC targets.
There’s hardly any rush by the government to improve the EPCs of social or council houses which are usually worse than private rental properties. On the most part the councils dont know as they havent even got EPCs for their properties. They dont even need to achieve E…..
I wrote this blog on this a while back
https://think-we-are-stupid.blogspot.com/2025/02/ofgem-vs-epcs-fight-is-on.html
And this blog doing analysis on achieving C and the likely mass homelessness which will result
https://think-we-are-stupid.blogspot.com/2025/02/energy-performance-of-privately-rent.html
Member Since February 2020 - Comments: 360
12:10 PM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Tenants are afraid to ask because they don’t want to pay more. But if a landlord improves a property they will expect more rent in the next rent review.
The tenant chose that worse off property to save on rent. So it’s negating tenant choice.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3508 - Articles: 5
12:30 PM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 16/09/2025 – 11:24
….which is why when this all comes in (if ever???) I shall be explaining this to every tenant and then asking if they wish to sign a letter to say they do not give permission for any upgrades to the property. I will then apply for an exemption.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 365
12:49 PM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
So landlords may once again be forced to spend yet more money just to rent some rooms that they own and that government can not provide. Suckers. So if landlords upgrade to “C” will that be the end of complaints.No.Will it prevent the mould tenant’s cause.No.
Member Since February 2018 - Comments: 627
1:03 PM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Downsize Government at 16/09/2025 – 12:10
Don’t you realise it yet, neither tenanant nor landlord is allowed to be an adult, everything is to be prescribed or proscribed, a bit like communism, or fascism, take your pick.
Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 58
1:15 PM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Welcome to the world we are all living in now – owner occupiers just as much as tenants
Member Since April 2023 - Comments: 174
1:52 PM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Peter G at 16/09/2025 – 10:05
And Europe. Their bills are tiny in comparison to ours. Even France where it gets colder than us in the Winter.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3237 - Articles: 81
2:00 PM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
So Citizens advice are soon gonna be responsible for tenants paying higher rents-As well as Shelter.
She says:
“Leaky, cold and damp housing!
What if they weren’t Leaky Cold Damp? Yet still a EPC D? I’ll spend 10k, but the rent will no longer be £200pm below market value.
What does Emily Citizens Advice think the rent will be after?
Please come & ask the tenants that haven’t got a problem if they’d like these measures.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 1999
3:06 PM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 16/09/2025 – 14:00
For the benefit of anybody on this thread who missed it. The government has already been told that landlords have the legal right to increase rents to pay for EPC upgrades:
https://www.property118.com/landlords-can-raise-rents-to-pay-for-epc-upgrades-labour/#:~:text=Despite%20Mr%20Miliband%27s%20assurances%20that,setting%20%27higher%20market%20rents%27.
And other people have already pointed out that we are taxed more heavily for electricity than we are for gas.
And of course most EPC band D properties aren’t leaky, cold or damp. Most of them have sound tile or slate, rooves, many of them have cavity walls to keep exterior damp away from the inner skin of the house, and probably the majority have gas condensing boilers.
Member Since April 2025 - Comments: 7
3:37 PM, 16th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Does the government think its only the private rental that have heating / energy problems
Are all council tenants going to be left out of the epc energy system and go cold???
What do the labour Mp ‘s think of that
No answer most probably
2 tier labour justice system again you should ask your mp for an answer on the above especially labour mps
Regards